


Blood and Iron

by Knight137



Category: The Legend of Zelda & Related Fandoms
Genre: Gen, Happy Ending, Hurt/Comfort, Linked Universe (Legend of Zelda), Minor Injuries, Minor Violence, Rated teen for mild swearing, Scars, Twilight & Wind (Linked Universe) - Freeform, Wolf Link (Legend of Zelda), can't believe that's not a tag, my boys deserve better, no beta we die like men, the title makes it sound angstier than it is
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2020-04-20
Updated: 2020-04-20
Packaged: 2021-03-01 22:55:41
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings, No Archive Warnings Apply
Chapters: 1
Words: 5,634
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/23624971
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/Knight137/pseuds/Knight137
Summary: A sudden shift in worlds puts Twilight and Wind in a bit of trouble. These things combine to bring an old problem to new light, and honestly Twilight is surprised it wasn't addressed sooner.
Relationships: Four & Hyrule & Legend & Sky & Time & Twilight & Warriors & Wild & Wind (Linked Universe)
Comments: 13
Kudos: 272





	Blood and Iron

**Author's Note:**

> I wrote this because there's no way that with all the stuff Twilight does as Wolfie, that stupid shackle and chain doesn't get in the way. I also think the sound it makes is annoying. This is entirely self indulgent and I'm not sorry.
> 
> This is the fourth fic I've ever written, the first I've written for this fandom, and the first one I've ever posted. I'd appreciate any comments/kudos and I hope you enjoy. My paragraph spacing was kind of designed for reading on a phone, so if you're on PC... sorry for the crappy spacing.
> 
> "*" are page breaks

The secret was bound to come out eventually. Honestly, Twilight hadn’t been hiding it _that_ hard. It didn’t take the Triforce of Wisdom to realize that Wilfie only showed up when Twilight wasn’t around. There was also the fact that Wolfie was obviously transported across space and time with the rest of them, and so far as they could tell that only happened to the Heroes of Courage.

That and their face markings were the same.

In any case, any fear or trepidation Twilight may have had about the others finding out about his wolf form was quickly dispelled. Initially he’d been worried that some of them might be afraid or wouldn’t trust him anymore. The power was technically dark magic after all.

But it seemed that between all the time they’d spent together, both with Twilight and with Wolfie, they’d grown to trust both forms implicitly.

Twilight was relieved to keep their trust and friendship, and that the reveal hadn’t been that bad in the end. He’d gotten a little too hurt in his wolf form and since potions didn’t work on magic wolves, Time had insisted he shift back to be healed.

He’d hesitated, obviously, but it was the caring and understanding Sky who spoke up next.

“It’s okay, Twi,” Sky had said softly, gently placing a hand on his fuzzy head. “We’ve all sort of figured it out on our own. It doesn’t change anything. You’re still our friend.”

And that had been the end of it. Twilight could shift whenever he wanted or needed without having to make up an excuse to go running off into the forest, alone, for the fourth day in a row. Honestly, it was nice.

There were a few changes. Mostly, everybody stopped treating him quite so much like an animal. This had arguably been a good thing and a bad thing. The good parts included not being dragged to the river against his will for a bath just because he’d gotten too much mud in his fur.

That had been an embarrassing experience he did not want to repeat.

The bad part was that he had totally been taking advantage of the fact that some of the heroes found it easier to talk about their feelings to Wolfie rather than a person. It didn’t bother Twilight too much though. He had a lot of experience getting his friends to talk to him about their nightmares and fears, and he could do that as a hylian if he had to.

One new thing was that Wind now asked for rides on his back. This had started when they’d been in the traveler’s Hyrule. They’d been walking for days, stopping only for short bouts of rest to avoid monsters and find shelter as quickly as possible. Between the constant travel and minimal rest, it was no surprise when one of them got sick.  
Wind had started slowing, his pace occasionally staggering. He’d fallen further behind until Warriors finally got him to admit that yes, he was tired, and yes, he did have a fever. Twilight had taken up his wolf form earlier that morning to use his superior senses to check for monsters. Taking note of his friend’s exhaustion, he had nudged up against Wind’s legs and gestured with his nose to his back.

An invitation.

Wind perked up slightly at the invite and quickly but gently swung a leg over and settled into Twilight’s fur.

“I always wanted to try this,” he’d mumbled into his neck, turning his face down in Twilight’s fur and a small smile gracing his lips.

And so it had begun. Every so often, Wind would approach Twilight with a slightly bashful look and ask for a ride. Twilight would always shift if he wasn’t in wolf form already and crouch down so the hero of the Great Sea could climb on.

It was fun, and Twilight felt a lightness in his heart when he heard the peels of laughter from his passenger as he tore around the camp or across an open field. Wind, while heavier than Midna, was still small enough that Twilight could easily carry him.

*

On this day, the need to carry Wind was a necessity of life or death. They’d been separated when a shift had taken place. Paired up in groups to visit different shops in the village. Some of it was actual supplies they had to stock up on, but some of it had been just for fun.

Twilight and Wind had just left a bomb shop when the world seemed to twist around them in a contorted swirl of lights and sounds. It was a nauseating feeling in Twilight’s opinion. Traveling through time and space kind of sucked, if he was being perfectly honest.

And it dropped them off in the worst possible place.

They had all acknowledged long ago that the powerful monsters scattered around Wild’s Hyrule were annoying at best and incredibly dangerous at worst. This particular camp of bokoblins did not seem to appreciate their sudden appearance. A volley of stones and arrows rained down on them as Twilight and Wind scrambled to regain their bearings.

A cry of shock and pain coming from behind him had Twilight whirling around to check on his smaller companion. Wind was kneeling on the ground, shielding his head with his arms. He hadn’t even had the chance to get his sword or shield out yet. A trickle of blood was making its way down the side of his face and onto his neck.

Taking quick stock of the situation, his heart racing away in his chest, Twilight decided there were too many enemies for him to face alone _and_ protect Wind. Deciding on a course of action, he rushed to Wind’s side.

“Get on and hold on tight!” He yelled over the battle cries of the surrounding monsters before allowing the flecks of darkness to condense around him. With four paws solid on the ground, he crouched and waited for Wind to climb on.

Twilight felt the small weight of his friend on his back and the tug as the sailor dug his fingers into fur. Glancing for an opening between the surrounding bokoblins, Twilight allowed his tensed legs to explode, sending the two of them careening away from danger. Making sure that he didn’t feel Wind slipping off his back, Twilight ran faster than he had since his adventure to save his own Hyrule. Legs churning, claws digging into the dirt and kicking up dust behind them.

A quick glance over his shoulder told the wolf they were being pursued, but those creatures had no hope of catching up to them now. The rancher decided it would be best to find shelter before checking Wind’s injury.

It was then, as they crested over a hill and made way for a grove of trees in the far distance, Twilight noticed a sting of pain around his left paw. Taking in the offending limb, he noticed the chain of the shackle whipping around his wrist as he ran.

With every step the chain was sent circling around his paw until the last link in the chain cracked into his leg with a stinging _thwip_.

The rancher clenched his teeth at the sensation. Every other step, _thwip_ , _thwip_ , whipping into the same spot on his leg over and over. He could perhaps recall the feeling of the shackle shifting when he’d burst away from the bokoblins in a mad dash for safety.

The shackle itself had always been snug. It wasn’t so loose that it could freely move, but it could shift as he moved. The fur underneath had long been rubbed off, the skin tough and callused against the iron.

But this was new.

And by Hylia did it **h u r t**.

As the adrenalin from their initial arrival faded, the whip, whip of the chain against his leg took up more of his attention. He wasn’t sure how long he ran like that, the sting of the chain matching pace with his paws driving him a little mad. His pace nearly faultered several times, the steady strikes forcing his focus to just his leg.

Perhaps if he changed his stride?

They were far enough away now that he could afford to slow down. Allowing his muscles to relax slightly, he slowed their pace across the open plain. Unfortunately the difference was only slight.

The chain moved slower, but still with every stride, hit against the same spot on his left foreleg. It wasn’t as forceful a blow as before, but the skin and muscle had already begun to bruise and was oversensitive.

The pain didn’t seem to diminish at all. Incredible how much trouble four measly links could cause him.

It would have to be addressed later. Twilight had made it to the shelter of the trees, and a quick sniff around told him no monsters had been in the area recently. Finding a small, flat area of ground, he looked to his passenger to take in the sailor’s condition.

Now that they’d come to a stop, Wind had loosened his tight hold on Twilight’s fur and took in their surroundings. Catching the wolf’s eye, he understood the unspoken suggestion and carefully slid off Twi’s back. As Wind settled himself on the ground, Twilight shifted forms and immediately reached for his pack. Whatever medical supplies he had on hand would be in there.

He stopped short.

A flash of pain in his… wrist? Arm? Hand? By the goddesses, the whole limb was sore or burning with pain. He had to actively clench his jaw shit to prevent any noise of pain. Wind needed him first.

This was fine. He was one of the few in their group that was right-handed anyway. He could work with this.

Gathering up his pack he knelt in front of Wind. He kept his left arm at his side, holding it as still as possible. He took a steadying breath, the reached out to Wind.

“How ya’ feelin’ sailor?” he asked, gently carding his fingers through the messy blond hair to get a look at the injury.

“Ah I’m fine Twi. Those beasts got a lucky shot in, that’s all.”

Wind winced slightly when Twilight found the bleeding wound. A slight bump and a shallow cut from the thrown rock.

“Well sailor,” Twilight said with a small smile. “I’m pleased to say you’ll live.”

His attempt to lighten the mood seemed to work, as Wind scoffed and let a determined smile take up his face.

“It takes more than a measly bunch of beasts throwing pebbles to keep me down!” he exclaimed.

‘Yeah,’ Twilight thought to himself. ‘He’ll be fine.’

A few sips of red potion for Wind and a check to make sure they had all their gear, and they were on their way. They’d been separated before after shifting worlds, and after the first time had decided on a plan to find each other again. So they headed off to find a town, or more likely as they were Wild’s Hyrule, a stable.

*

As they walked side by side, Twilight took the time to investigate his own injury. He couldn’t see his arm due to the leather braces he wore as well as the long sleeves of his undershirt. However, it seemed any turn of his wrist resulted in a lance of pain that would dance up and down his arm. He could keep his wrist steady and move his arm at the shoulder as well as slightly at the elbow, but anything more than that and he was rewarded with a painful reminder to keep still.

He’d have to be sure to look at that when they were settled down for the night; be that in a stable or just open camp. He couldn’t afford to have his shield arm so impaired. Even holding still, a bone deep soreness permeated the limb, a constant distraction from his surroundings.

But not so bad that he felt the need to stop and check it now. He could almost hear Time’s voice in the back of his head calling him a ‘stubborn pup.’

An hour more of walking and they spotted the high-flying flags of a stable. A good thing too, as the sun had been getting lower and lower on the horizon.

*

Thankfully, the other seven heroes had found each other quickly after they had shifted worlds. Wind and Twilight had apparently been the furthest out, and were the last to arrive at the stable. Now they had convened in one of the rooms they had purchased for the night.

Sky, Warriors, and Wind were all sitting on the bed. Twilight and Time had taken the only two chairs in the room. Four, Hyrule and Wild were all sitting on the floor, checking through their things and organizing their inventory. Legend was standing, leaning against the wall with his arms crossed.

A quick check in with everyone told them no one else had been injured, the closest encounter being Legend nearly tripping over a camouflaged lizalfos. He adamantly denied ‘shrieking like a girl,’ as Wild has described it.

“It was a yell of surprise,” Legend snarled. “As if they’ve never gotten the drop on you, Wild.”

“They certainly never caused me to shriek like a frightened maiden,” Wild smirked back.

Grumbling and scowling, Legend decided to change the subject.

“So you guys got dropped in the middle of bokoblin camp? You seem to have made it out in one piece.”

“Wind got hit in the head with one of the stones they were throwing. I changed to a wolf and carried him out of there,” Twilight explained. “There were too many for me to fight while also defending him.”

The other nodded as if approving of his decision. Warriors and Sky immediately turned to Wind sitting between them to check the head wound. The little sailor was getting a bit fed up with their fussing.

“Alright, that’s enough of your mother henning,” he said, waving them away with his arm. “A bit of red potion and I was right as rain. Twi’s the one still hurt.”

All eyes went to the rancher, scanning him for injury. Twilight stilled. He hadn’t realized Wind had noticed his injury.

“It’s… just a bruise, I’m sure it’s nothing to make a fuss about,” he tried to deflect.

“Ah come on Twi, don’t think I didn’t notice you checking your arm during our walk over here. You could barely move it!”

This caused more of a stir among their companions. Time was quick to speak up, ever the leader.

“Alright pup, armor off,” he said, gesturing to Twilight’s arm braces. “If it’s just a bruise as you say then a quick look won’t hurt.”

But in fact, it did hurt. Twilight’s arm had hurt for the last hour or more and it wasn’t getting any better. In fact he would argue it felt worse. But he saw the look in Time’s eye and knew the matter wouldn’t be dropped until it was addressed. The eldest of them could set his opinion, and all their strength-fortifying brackets combined wouldn’t sway him. With a sigh of defeat, Twilight began to carefully remove his left brace. He was gentle with the straps as any pressure on his arm had been sending bursts of pain up to his shoulder.

He gently slid the brace off his hand, then slowly rolled up his sleeve to reveal his forearm.

And then the whole room fell into a bit of chaos.

“Din’s fire, farmboy, how’d you manage that?!”

“That’s more than just a bruise Twi!”

“Jeez, that looks kinda serious.”

“Hold on I think I’ve got some bruise cream in here somewhere.”

“I’ve got a bit of red potion!”

Twilight could only stare as the others moved around him to treat his injury. On the whole, the bruise wasn’t that big. A little oval about 2 or 3 inches long, no more than an inch wide, and a hands width back from his wrist. But the color was a dark purple into black and the edges were red and inflamed. Blues and greens had traveled down to his wrist and onto his hand as if the blood under his skin had flowed down as they’d walked to the stable.

Which, actually it probably had. No wonder his whole arm was feeling this, he’d had less bruising from broken bones! Had the chain really caused this much damage?

“Twi, here take a drink of this.”

Interrupted from his thoughts, Twilight looked up to see Hyrule holding a bottle of red potion out to him. He took the bottle in his right hand and sipped as Hyrule produced another container of some kind of purplish cream and a strip of bandages.

Clearly trying to be as gentle as possible, Hyrule began to spread the cream onto his arm. Twilight couldn’t help but hiss through his teeth at the sting.

Time kneeled down next to Hyrule, more to Twilight’s right. His brow was furrowed slightly in concern.

“How did this happen cub?” the older man asked. “You didn’t mention being struck.”

Seeing no reason to lie, Twilight explained.

“It must have been the chain. I think the shackle shifted when I started running from the bokoblins, and the new angle made the chain hit my leg with every stride.”

He could see the confusion on some of their faces, before they realized he meant the chain and shackle he wore in his wolf form.

“Has this happened before?” Time asked, with a bit of alarm in his voice.

“Well the shackle has always shifted a bit, it rubbed the fur underneath off ages ago. But the chain has never done this before,” he said.

“It’s from your adventure, right?” Sky asked. Twilight only grunted a yes as Hyrule was tying off the new bandage on his arm.

Ow.

“Sorry,” the traveler said with a sad smile. “Between the potion and the bruise cream, it will heal faster. Although I think you bruised your bone slightly, so you should probably keep the arm in a sling for a few days.”

This, Twilight could grudgingly agree to. Hyrule was the most knowledgeable of them about injuries and how to address them. Besides, even if he refused the sling, every single one of them would be on his case about tying it up and not straining himself.

Legend was the next to speak up.

“How come you’ve never gotten it removed?” he asked, curious now. He’d never really given the shackle and chain that much thought until now. It had to be uncomfortable.

“Well during my adventure I never really had time I suppose. And afterward, nobody knew about my wolf form. I couldn’t exactly walk into the nearest black smith and ask them to take it off.”

At the mention of a black smith several eyes turned to Four, who was still on the floor and had gone back to organizing his inventory. At the sudden silence he looked up and saw everybody staring at him. He sat up a little straighter.

“...What?”

*

One short explanation later, and Four nodded. He could break the cuff, if not pick the lock.

"It doesn't have a lock," Twilight stated. "It's just two half circles, with a hinge at one end and the chain coming off the other side. It's bolted shut."

Several of his companions grimaced at the explanation. They didn't appreciate the harsh treatment of their friend, and were feeling a little guilty that they hadn't thought to remove the offending iron sooner. It was nothing shy of a miracle he hadn't gotten an infection from it.

"As harsh as this may sound, that's probably a good thing," Four replied. "If I can undo the bolts or free the hinge, the cuff will come off. Both are easier than picking or forcing a lock."

“Do you have everything you need to get it off?” Time asked. Four thought for a moment.

“I think so. I’ll check tonight and let you know in the morning. If there's anything I need that I don't have, I can ask the forge here if I can borrow any tools. The smith they've got on hand is really only here to shoe the horses and make the occasional wagon repair, but he'll likely have anything I need.”

“Then I think we could all use a good night's sleep,” Time said.

Realizing they were done for the night, Twilight left with the others to their respective rooms. A night in a stable or inn meant no one had to take turns on watch, and they were all thankful for that.

*

The next morning saw Hyrule reapplying the bruise salve and tying a fresh bandage. A spare scarf from Warriors had been used to sling up the injured arm. The previous night had been difficult for Twilight. It was hard to find a position for his arm that didn’t make it ache, but red potion acted as a decent pain killer. Eventually the tiring day had caught up to Twilight, and he’d been able to find sleep.

Evidently, the effects of the red potion had worn off over night. He was certainly feeling it now.

After breakfast, they gathered again to make a plan.

“Would you mind changing so I can take a look at what I’m dealing with?” Four asked, not unkindly.

“Sure,” Twilight shrugged. He stood and, stepping away from his chair, allowed the flecks of shadow to overtake his form. Not a moment later, he sat on the floor with his left paw held gently off the floor.

Four kneeled down and reached out, supported the weight of the shackle and chain. His eyebrows rose slightly in surprise. It was heavier than he’d anticipated.

He took a few more moments to observe the bolts and hinge. Some areas of the bolts were rusted, but not as badly as he would have guessed. It would make getting it off only slightly harder.

But the hinge... worried him. He could feel the stares of the others behind him as they leaned in for a closer look of their own.

“Hey Twilight...” Four began. “Has the hinge alway been bent like that?” Four pointed to a notable kink in the hinge just above the middle point. Twilight turned his head to see what the smithy had indicated, looked back at him, and nodded. Apparently Four wasn’t doing a very good job of keeping his face clear of his concern.

“What is it? What’s wrong?” Sky asked, obviously worried. Four was quick to explain, not wanting to spark unnecessary panic.

“There’s a bend in the hinge that I think was beaten in deliberately, possibly by a hammer after they put the shackle on,” he explained. As the others observed his face he seemed... sad. “I can still get it off, it just means that whoever put the shackle on...” he glanced at Twilight but quickly lowered his eyes. “...They had no intentions of removing it ever again.”

The room was filled with silence as they processed this information. One by one, the implications of this dawned on them. Twilight had been captured, imprisoned, and left chained to the ground in a dungeon to die.

In the following silent moments, more than one of them had to reach up and sneak a quick swipe at their damp eyes.

Four cleared his throat, effectively breaking the tense atmosphere.

“Well, I have the tools to get this off, but his arm would best be healed before I take a wrench to it,” Four said tersely. Twilight only gave a short nod.

Four didn’t say a word about how he knew how much force it took to deform iron like that. How if the crushing blow had missed the cuff, the bones in his leg or his paw would have been shattered. How he would have been left lame, likely unable to use the limb ever again.

No, Four kept that information to himself.

*

They stayed at the stable while his arm healed up, the process being expedited by potions, salves and a bit of magic. It wasn’t long at all before he could move his wrist mostly freely again.

The day finally dawned that Hyrule and Four determined he was well enough to get the shackle removed. Twilight was only slightly perturbed about how little say he seemed to have on the matter, despite it being _his_ leg they were talking about. This group was full of worriers and he knew they only did this because they cared.

The farm hand was shocked to find that he was feeling... nervous, of all things. In the past he knew the cuff only remained because he'd never had the time or the means to remove it. Now, he couldn't help but turn the same question over in his head.

What if Four couldn't get it off?

After all, the shackle had been on his person for years now. It had been dragged through every landscape across his entire Hyrule (and some others), from the forests he called home, to the dessert sands of the arbiter's grounds; across the desolate mountain terrain of Snowpeak, and through the waters of Zora River, Lake Hylia, and the sewers under Castle Town. Time had obviously taken a toll on the iron; it was rusted and scratched and dented all over. He'd say he could barely remember what it had looked like the day he got it, but that day was carved into his memory whether he liked it or not.

But Four was a highly competent smith. He was renowned as the best in his own Hyrule, and Twilight almost felt guilty for doubting his skill. And to finally have it off! Twilight could only _imagine_ what it would feel like to be free of the Hylia damned thing. But then his hope would be tainted by doubts once more and the cycle would begin again. These thoughts had been swirling in his head ever since Four had said he could get the cuff off.

Now that Four had the tools in his hand though, Twilight was once again feeling anxious. They'd determined the size of the bolts the day before so Four could find the proper sized tool. His arm was effectively healed, therefore there was no longer any need for delay.

"Alright, I'm going to try this alone first and get a feel for how tight the bolts are," Four explained. "Then, if I can't get it by myself, Time will help stabilize the shackle so I can use both hands. If that _still_ doesn't work, I'll have to clamp you to the work bench." There was no hesitation in Four's eyes that Twilight could see, just the self-assured confidence of a competent craftsman.

Twilight could only nod resolutely, and hold his paw forward.

They had borrowed a short bench for the purpose of a solid work surface. It came up to bellow Twilight's chest as he sat on the ground in his wolf form. This way someone could at least pin the cuff down with their hands without straining Twi's arm. Four did so now, holding the shackle in place with his left hand hand and positioning the wrench over the bolt with his right. It was technically his non-dominant hand, but he was basically ambidextrous anyway.

"Let me know if anything hurts too much," Four said, not looking up from his tool. Twilight wasn't entirely sure how he was meant to communicate that information, but if the need really arose he was sure he would come up with something.

Four began pulling the arm of the wrench towards him, attempting to loosen the first of the two bolts. Twilight didn't really have a way of knowing how much pressure he was exerting on the wrench. Four didn't outwardly look like he was straining, but bolt also hadn't shifted in the slightest. Four took a moment to reposition his hand and the wrench before trying again. Twilight though he could make out the muscles of his arms and shoulders straining more with the effort this time.

"Okay, nope," Four said suddenly, leaning back again. "Time, if you would?" The man stepped forward and allowed Four to position his hands. He was wearing his protective leather gloves, but hadn't bothered with his armor today.

Four replaced the wrench over the head of the bolt and re-positioned himself to use both his hands. This time, Twilight could clearly make out tense arms and white knuckles as Four attempted to turn the wrench. Then, just as the farm hand was thinking they'd have to resort to the clamp, there was movement!

A terrible scraping sound could be heard as the bolt slowly gave way, likely the years of dust and sand that had made it into the threads over the years. Four pulled the wrench as far as it would go before he had to reset it's position. A small cheer rose up from the 6 surrounding heroes. This was progress!

"Hopefully the other one comes just as easy!" Four exclaimed with a smile. Twilight could once again only sit in bemused silence. He wasn't sure which part of that had exactly been easy. He could feel the excitement rising in his chest however. This was really happening, it was finally coming off!

Several minutes later saw the first bolt nearly all the way out. It only had to make it past the gap between the two halves, so there was no point removing it completely. Rust had flaked all over the work bench, and Time had had to hold the cuff down for the entire process. Next came the other bolt. It provided a similar struggle but gave just the same under the smithy's efforts.

With connection between the two halves severed, the shackle should have opened freely as it was designed to do. However, the damage to the hinge behaved exactly as Four said it would, and the cuff remained closed. Twilight was genuinely not sure what he would do if they came this far only for the shackle to remain. Not even a week ago, he couldn't have cared less if the cuff remained or not. Now, being so close to it being gone for good, he felt he needed this more than anything else.

"Now we just need to force it open, right?" asked Legend, a... frankly suspicious smirk on his face.

"...Yes," Four said slowly, skeptical of whatever the veteran was clearly planning. "What did you have in mind?"

Legend turned to look at Wind, who flashed a toothy smile of his own. Then they proudly held their arms out, clearly presenting their wrists. There, one on each arm to make four in all, were power bracelets. Clearly very proud of their plan, and eager to help, Legend and Wind took up positions on either side of Twilight.

"Step aside, old man," Legend said, the smirk never leaving his face. "We'll handle this." Time only raised an eyebrow, and stepped back. A skilled observer would have been able to note the small uptick at the corner of his mouth. They wanted to help, to be a part of this for Twilight. Who was he to stop them?

Kneeling down, Legend took up the measly length of chain while Wind held the heads of the bolts. Pulling in opposite directions would force the two halves apart.

"Ready, Twi?" Wind asked, cocking an eyebrow and sporting an excited grin. Twilight nodded again, unable to still the slight wag of his tail. He was beyond ready.

"On three, squirt."

"One!"

"Two..."

_**CRACK** _

The poor thing didn't stand a chance.

With the strength to lift boulders the size of a house and then some, the shackle was practically ripped in half. The iron along the bent hinge split open like the lid of a treasure chest. Twilight, out of pure shock and reflex, yanked his paw out of the way.

...Just his paw.

Shackle and chain free.

The room exploded in cheers and applause. Warriors thumped Four in the back in congratulations. Wind and Legend held the shackle up between them like some kind of trophy. Wild threw an arm around Sky in his excitement, except it was around his neck like a partial choke hold rather than the side hug it was probably supposed to be. Sky was beaming nonetheless, and cheering along with the others.

Hyrule went to Twilight and half tackled him in a hug. Time approached them, giving a rare but proper smile. Twilight only sat there, leaning against Hyrule, allowing the joy and relief to wash over him.

The shackle itself would be left behind, doomed to rust away in the wrong time, the wrong place.

Good riddance.

Twilight himself would bear the marks of the shackle for the rest of his life. The skin underneath was rough and callused. But calluses had given way to blisters in some places, when his time in wolf form had gone on too long. There were several layers of old scars. In that moment, he couldn't bring himself to care.

The weightlessness felt so good.

*

Days later, many travelers would report to the stable there was a wild animal running around the field. Some sort of wolf dashing around with no sense of destination or purpose.

A short distance away under the shade of a large tree, were eight heroes. They dozed in the sun, sparred, and did whatever else they pleased. They watched their friend run across the grassy hills, leaping and bounding.

Off in the field, the Hero of Twilight flew across the grass, his body, mind and spirit feeling lighter than they had in years.

**Author's Note:**

> And there we have it! My first posted fic! Comment, kudos, let me know if you loved it, hated it, whatever. This was finished and posted at 1am so if the ending is weird that's probably why. I have other plot bunnies hopping around in my head, but I don't know when I'll have time to write them. Anyway, I hope you enjoyed!


End file.
